A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum *** (1966, Zero Mostel, Phil Silvers, Buster Keaton, Michael Crawford, Jack Gilford) – Classic Movie Review 8221

And a funny thing happened to the 1962 Broadway musical A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum on the way to the screen for this 1966 British screwball comedy. Director Richard Lester dropped a lot of Stephen Sondheim’s wonderful songs and got screen-writers Melvin Frank and Michael Pertwee to Lesterise Larry Gelbart and Burt Shevelove’s stage comic lines.

Although one longs for a straight record of the show, this frenzied film farce will have to do. The great Zero Mostel repeats his Broadway performance (it was Frankie Howerd in London) as Pseudolus, the conniving Roman slave, to outstanding effect, and other treasured actors making their mark are Phil Silvers (Marcus Lycus), Jack Gilford (Hysterium), Michael Hordern (Senex) and Buster Keaton (Erronius).

Zero Mostel and Jack Gilford in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966).

Musical director Ken Thorne won an Oscar for Best Scoring of Music, Adaptation or Treatment. The film’s cherishable musical moments include ‘Everybody Ought to Have a Maid’ (performed by Zero Mostel, Michael Hordern, Jack Gilford and Phil Silvers), ‘Comedy Tonight’ (performed by Zero Mostel and ensemble) and ‘Lovely’ (performed by Annette Andre and Michael Crawford). Other lesser songs: Bring Me My Bride and The Dirge.

Overall, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is still a funny thing.

Also in the cast are Patricia Jessel, Leon Greene, Beatrix Lehmann,, Michael Crawford, Jack Gilford, Annette André, Roy Kinnear, Alfie Bass, John Bluthal, Pamela Brown, Patrica Jessel, Frank Thornton, Peter Butterworth, John Bennett, Andrew Faulds, Bill Kerr, Jack May, Jon Pertwee, Janet Webb and Ingrid Pitt.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum runs 99 minutes, is a Melvin Frank Production, is released by United Artists, and is shot in colour by Nicolas Roeg.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8221

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